Render Unto Caesar? It is not your money!

     I have constantly been struck by what we hear when we listen to Scripture.  Should I be greatly concerned about Jesus' words to the people in the Temple when he tells them that there will be horrible things that happen before He comes again. There will be persecution, killings and torture, but all of those will give the disciples a chance to bear witness, to testify, to proclaim the good news. He says even your family will forsake you and let you down. But then he says "Still, not a hair on your heads will be lost." (Common English Bible).   You see, that worries me because I have already lost most of the hair on my head. Does that mean I am not among the chosen, the saved, those written in the book of life?
     
     The second issue that I found in reading Luke 19 was that passage about paying taxes.  What fascinates me it the fact that Jesus says the money belongs to Caesar. It is the government's money. When I look at our money in the USA it says it is the governments money.  The money has all over it the claim that it is the government's. Federal Reserve Note.  "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private. "  The United States of America is across the top of it.   But when it comes to paying taxes in this country most people seem to think it is their money. Listen to all those radio people and they say "It is your money, you should be able to spend it like you want." Jesus says if it is the government's money give them what they want. Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. Give to the government the things that are the government's.  If the government needs money to pay for the things that are for our common good, render unto the government the government's money.

    It is not my money and it only has value as long as the government stands behind it. There is a lot of confederate money running around that now has no value (except as Antique Roadshow) because there is no government backing it up.  It is not my money and it will not be in my use for very long as the foolish farmer who built more barns found out.   It is the government's money and Jesus does not seem to be concerned about how much of its money it wants back.